Crossword Genius

Check odd nurses left (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

strangle

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'check' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I cannot see how one could define the other.

'odd nurses left' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'left' could be 'ran' (running is a kind of leaving) and 'ran' is present in the answer.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for strangle that I've seen before include "Kill by throttling" , "Suppress (an impulse)" , "throttle or choke" , "Asphyxiate, throttle" , "Suppress; choke" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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